Suspended ceiling grid joint structure

ABSTRACT

A ceiling board suspension system has a flexible crossmember with bent-out tabs on opposite ends of its supporting flanges. The tabs, when the crossmember is compressed, will slide into a cutout slot in the center of the flanges of the main runner and, when the crossmember is released, the tabs of the crossmember will lock into place into the openings formed on the opposite edges of the cutout slot of the main runner. The edges of the cutout slot of the main runner are diagonally cut toward the center of the slot opening so that a level joint surface may be formed if the tabs of the crossmember have a lowered portion or ridge which abuts with the cutout slot edges.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Harold W. Nikolaus FOREIGN PATENTS l m P 1,364,379 5/1964 France 287/l89.36 A [2]] Appl. No. 55,834 829,786 1/1952 Germany 287/189.36 A [22] Filed J y 400,502 4/1966 Switzerland 52/665 P nted an. 11, l igg Armstrong Cork Company Primary Exam1r 1erDav1d .l W1ll1amowsky Lancaster Pm Ass1stant ExarnmerWayne L. Shedd AnorneyCl1fford B. Pr1ce [54] ZE SR F F GRID JOINT STRUCTURE ABSTRACT: A ceiling board suspension system has a flexible alms, 3 Drawlng Figs.

crossmember with bent-out tabs on opposlte ends of 1ts sup- U.S; porting flanges The tabs when the crossmember is com /5 pressed, will slide into a cutout slot in the center of the flanges [51] Int. Cl of the main runner and, when the crossmember is released the [50] Field of Search 287/] 89.36 ab of the crossmember will lock into place into the openings A; 663 formed on the opposite edges of the cutout slot of the main runner. The edges of the cutout slot of the main runner are [56] References and diagonally cut toward the center of the slot opening so that :1

N TED STATES PATENTS level joint surface may be formed if the tabs of the cross- 971,0l l 9/1910 Kinnear 287/189.36 A member have a lowered portion or ridge which abuts with the 3,149,704 9/1964 Hodapp.. 52/668 X cutout l g 3,343,309 9/1967 Netz et al. 52/665 X BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a suspended ceiling grid joint system and, more particularly, to a tab structure for joining the members of a suspended ceiling grid joint system.

2. Description of the Prior Art U.S. Pat. N 0. 3,169,614, discloses the most commonly used type of joint structure for connecting together the cross member and main runner member of a suspended ceiling system. US. Pat. No. 3,023,865, discloses ajoint structure for a ceiling suspension system, which joint structure is somewhat similar to that set forth in the paragraphs hereafter. This particular patent discloses a plurality of joint structures, but in every case each joint structure requires a channel-type structure which is used in coaction with a tab member. The main runner member is provided with a slot structure, and the cross member is provided with a tab structure. However, a slidelock engagement is maintained between the tab and the channel structure, and the two elements are assembled in a manner completely different from that set forth below.

Herein there is set forth a structure for providing a positively locked-together joint structure which is very simple to utilize and very simple in construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The ceiling board suspension system herein has a flexible 30V cross member having a U-shaped web portion and a two-part runner flange extending from each side of the base of the web. The upper part of the flange is formed by an extension of the lower flange part that is folded to overlie the lower flange. A main runner is used having a web portion and a two-part runner flange extending from the base of the web. The flange is the same as on the cross member flangeabove and an opening exists between the upper and lower flange parts. The flange has a cutout slot in its center. The two-part supporting flanges of the cross member have tabs at one end, which tabs, when the cross member is compressed will slide into the cutout slot in the flanges of the main runner. When the cross member is released, the tabs of the cross member will lock into place into the openings formed on the opposite ends of the cutout slot between the two parts of the flange of the main runner. The edges of the cutout slot of the main runner may be diagonally cut toward the center of the slot opening so that a level joint surface is formed if the tabs of the cross member have a lowered portion or ridge to abut with the cutout slot edges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of a portion of the members of the ceiling system;

FIG. II is a top view of the joint structure when the members of the ceiling system are interconnected; and

FIG. III is a perspective view of a portion of the cross member showing the tab structure with a ridge thereon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the suspended ceiling system herein, the main cross member 4 are connected by a unique joint structure, which is the invention herein. The cross member 4 has a web 6 formed of an upper U-shaped part 8 and a lower inverted U-shaped part 10. The board supporting flanges l2 and 12' are bent-out extensions at the base of the web 6 of the cross member and are comprised of a lower part 14 and an upper part 16 which is an upwardly and inwardly folded extension of the edge portion of the lower flange part. At one end of the flanges l2 and 12', there is a tab element 18 which is part of the lower flange part 14 that has not been folded to form the upper flange part 16. The cross member must be flexible so that the tab elements can be moved toward each other.

The main runner has a web similar to that of the cross member. However, the runner may be only an inverted T- shape so that the web need not have the double U-shape. The board supporting flanges 22 and 22' have a lower flange part 24 and an extension of this lower flange part is folded upwardly and inwardly to form an upper flange part 26. An

opening 28 is formed therebetween. A cutout slot 30 is located in the center of flange 22, as can be seen in FIG. I. At the sides 32 of the cutout slot 30, openings 34 are formed between the upper flange part 26 and the lower flange part 24. The join the cross member to the main runner, the web of the flexible cross member is compressed so that the distance from the edge of one tab 18 to the other tab 18 is reduced to the size of the width the cutout slot 30 of the main runner, therefore, the tabs will readily fit into the cutout slot.

Pressure is applied in the direction of the arrows 36 and 36' on the cross member of FIG. II to reduce the width of the tab edges to equal that of the cutout slot 30. When the cross member is compressed, the tabs 18 will fit into the cutout slot 30 and, when compression is released, the tabs 18 will lock into the openings 34 at the sides of the cutout slot, as is shown in FIG. II. The edges of the flanges l2 and 12' will now have a width equal to the slot width and, with the tabs locked in place, the two members of the ceiling system are firmly joined.

Referring to FIG. III, there is shown a modification of the joint structure which will provide a smooth configuration to the joint structure. The tab 18 has a ridge 38 which separates the tab into two parts 40 and 42. Part 40 is on a higher plane than part 42. When the joint structure is assembled as shown in FIG. II, the ridge 38 abuts with edge 44. Edge 44 is the same as side 32 of FIG. I. The lower flange surface of the ceiling members forms a smooth joint configuration when the joint structure is assembled because part 40 is offset a little higher than part 42. The offset distance is equal to the thickness of the sheet metal forming the joint structure elements. The ridge 38 is the structure which causes the offset and joins parts 40 and 42. When the joint structure is assembled, the lower surface of the flange of the cross member in part 42 are in the same plane. Part 40 of tab 18 overlies the flange member of the main runner. As a result of the offset, the lower surface of the flange of the main runner is in the same plane as the lower surface of the flange of the cross member and part 42. The assembled joint structure creates a smooth joint configuration and gives a pleasing appearance to the eye of the viewer.

What is claimed is:

1. In a suspended ceiling structure, an elongated main runner with a web and a two-part runner flange capable of supporting ceiling boards and extending from the web of the main runner, said two-part runner flange comprising a lower flange extending outwardly from the web with a cutout slot of a predetermined width in the center portion thereof, and an inwardly turned, overlying flange which is an upwardly and inwardly folded extension of the lower flange having a cutout slot equal in size to that of the lower flange, and which is spaced a short distance above the lower flange to form an opening between the two parts of the runner flange, and an elongated cross member with a flexible U-shaped web and twopart cross member flanges capable of supporting ceiling boards and positioned on two opposite sides thereof, said twopart cross member flanges each comprising a lower flange extending from the web the length of the cross member, and an inwardly turned, overlying flange, which is an upwardly and inwardly folded extension of the lower flange, said two-part cross member flange further having a tab on two opposite ends which is part of the lower flange that has not been folded inwardly, the cross member being flexible so that when it is compressed far enough the flanges of the cross member will fit into the cutout slot of the main runner and the tabs formed on the cross member flanges will fit into the opening between the lower and overlying flanges of the main runner and thereby lock the two structures of the ceiling system together.

2. The ceiling suspension system of claim 1 wherein the eutout slot edges of the main runner are diagonally out toward the center of the slot opening, and wherein the tabs on the cross member flanges have a ridge so that when the main runner and cross member are interlocked the slot edges and ridged portions of the tabs abut to form a level plane where the runner flanges interlock. 5

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1. In a suspended ceiling structure, an elongated main runner with a web and a two-part runner flange capable of supporting ceiling boards and extending from the web of the main runner, said two-part runner flange comprising a lower Flange extending outwardly from the web with a cutout slot of a predetermined width in the center portion thereof, and an inwardly turned, overlying flange which is an upwardly and inwardly folded extension of the lower flange having a cutout slot equal in size to that of the lower flange, and which is spaced a short distance above the lower flange to form an opening between the two parts of the runner flange, and an elongated cross member with a flexible U-shaped web and two-part cross member flanges capable of supporting ceiling boards and positioned on two opposite sides thereof, said two-part cross member flanges each comprising a lower flange extending from the web the length of the cross member, and an inwardly turned, overlying flange, which is an upwardly and inwardly folded extension of the lower flange, said two-part cross member flange further having a tab on two opposite ends which is part of the lower flange that has not been folded inwardly, the cross member being flexible so that when it is compressed far enough the flanges of the cross member will fit into the cutout slot of the main runner and the tabs formed on the cross member flanges will fit into the opening between the lower and overlying flanges of the main runner and thereby lock the two structures of the ceiling system together.
 2. The ceiling suspension system of claim 1 wherein the cutout slot edges of the main runner are diagonally cut toward the center of the slot opening, and wherein the tabs on the cross member flanges have a ridge so that when the main runner and cross member are interlocked the slot edges and ridged portions of the tabs abut to form a level plane where the runner flanges interlock. 